Donald Trump is an atypical American president, quite unlike any of his predecessors. He is a nonconformist who has broken with political norms, diplomatic rules, and traditional procedures, prioritizing military and economic power while respecting powerful world leaders. A master of communication, using colloquial, simplistic, and populist language, he presents himself as a sincere friend of the people in the face of the injustices of the establishment and democratic institutions. His inconsistent behavior consistently manages to muddy the waters. His speeches are often a smokescreen to conceal his true intentions.
In the international arena, Trump allows himself to intervene directly in the internal affairs of certain countries, judging leaders with adjectives that are sometimes flattering and often humiliating.
He calls Netanyahu a "hero" rejects the arrest warrants issued against him by the International Criminal Court (ICC), and imposes sanctions on the Court's judges. Trump considers the trial of the Prime Minister, accused of fraud, bribery, and breach of trust, an impediment to his ability to govern. He persists and pressures President Isaac Herzog to grant a presidential pardon, whatever the cost.
Trump believes Netanyahu should have a free hand to manage ongoing security issues, particularly regarding Iran and the future of Gaza.
Without a doubt, President Trump is a great friend of the State of Israel and the Jewish people. He proved it during his first term with the recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights and the transfer of the American embassy to Jerusalem.
Amidst the regional turmoil, the Trump-Netanyahu partnership functions remarkably well despite some differences. However, Trump's recent remarks against President Herzog are beyond comprehension. They cross red lines in the relations between two friendly and allied states. Trump must respect the President of the State of Israel and not treat him vulgarly and publicly. Worse still, Trump is grotesquely intervening against Israeli democracy and the rule of law, as well as against the overwhelming majority in the Knesset that voted in favor of Herzog for the presidency.
Benjamin Netanyahu denied encouraging Donald Trump to reprimand Herzog, but he also failed to criticize the unacceptable interference in our affairs. It is his duty to defend the highest representative of the State of Israel abroad.
Certainly, the Netanyahu trial is dragging on far too long and poisoning the daily lives of Israelis. It is also unprecedented in the annals of jurisprudence. For the first time, a sitting prime minister is being prosecuted for, among other things, daring to ask newspaper owners to balance their articles, to give a platform to representatives of the government, and to report on positive government decisions.
For a decade, some legal affairs correspondents often behaved like inquisitors, informing, judging and condemning all at once.
In this context, Trump's intervention is counterproductive; it provokes unnecessary tensions, inflames passions, deeply divides society, and weakens Israeli resilience in the face of threats near and far and all the challenges it faces. Americans are perfectly aware that weakening the Jewish state would act against the strategic interests of the United States.
Netanyahu must not act as if he is above the law. The State of Israel is not a banana republic or a vassal state of the United States.
There are honorable judges in Jerusalem. The verdict against Benjamin Netanyahu must be handed down exclusively by a court of law, not in public or on social media. As for a presidential pardon, only Herzog has the authority to make a final decision.
